Lake Okeechobee

"Lake Okeechobee---which means "Big Water" in Seminole---covers 1,175 square kilometers (730 square miles). It is not only the largest lake in Florida, it is the second largest freshwater lake wholly within the United States."
The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida (page 26)

Lesson:
Read pages Chapter 5: Rivers & Lakes; pages 26-27 in The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida

Suggested Activities:

1. Learn about conservation efforts at Lake Okeechobee
2. Lake Okeechobee loses an enormous amount of water each year to evapotranspiration. Download a lesson plan to explain this concept to students, and to show them how this process actually works.

Field Trip Ideas:
Visit Lake Okeechobee and go fishing or take an airboat tour

Additional Online Resources:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission links for educators
Download map of Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail

State Motto: In God We Trust

"In God We Trust" was adopted by the Florida legislature as part of the state seal in 1868. This is also the motto of the United States and is a slight variation on Florida's first state motto, "In God is our Trust."

Lesson:
"In God we trust" is the official motto of the United States, is the motto of the state of Florida and is printed on all U.S. currency. Discuss this fact with your students and share your own personal feelings about this.

Discussion questions:

1. Which motto do you prefer, "In God we trust" or "In God is our Trust" ?
2. Do both versions carry the same meaning? Why or why not?

State Butterfly: Zebra Butterfly

The Zebra Longwing Butterfly was adopted in 1996 as the state butterfly, or the State Insect. This beautiful butterfly has black and yellow bands on its wings. The underside of its wings has red dots near the body. The Zebra Longwing lays eggs only on Passion Vines, and the larvae feed on the Passion Vine leaves.
The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida, page 6

Activities:

1. Print out and color a Zebra Butterfly for your notebook.
2. Plant Passion Vines and Firebush to see if you can attract Zebra Butterflies.
3. Study the life cycle of a butterfly and purchase a kit to explore metamorphosis close-up.

Additional Online Resources:

Visit this informative website with fantastic pictures of Zebra Longwing butterflies and information on their host and nectar plants.

Visit the Children's butterfly site, to view galleries, coloring pages, stories, and interesting facts about butterflies.

Learn about butterfly gardening here.


Suggested Reading:
Florida butterfly caterpillars and their host plants by Marc C. Minno, Jerry F. Butler, and Donald W. Hall


Field Trips:

1. Visit Butterfly World or Butterfly Rainforest to learn more about butterflies and see a Zebra Longwing.
2. Visit a local botanical garden with a butterfly garden.

State Song

The Swanee River Lyrics

Way down upon the Swanee River,
Far, far away,
There’s where my heart is turning ever,
There’s where the old folks stay.
All up and down the whole creation,
Sadly I roam,
Still longing for the old plantation,
And for the old folks at home.

Chorus
All the world is sad and dreary
Everywhere I roam.
O brothers, how my heart grows weary,
Far from the old folks at home.

2nd verse
All ‘round the little farm I wander’d,
When I was young;
Then many happy days I squander’d,
Many the songs I sung.
When I was playing with my brother,
Happy was I.
Oh, take me to my kind old mother,
There let me live and die.

3rd verse
One little hut among the bushes,
One that I love.
Still sadly to my memory rushes,
No matter where I rove.
When will I see the bees a humming,
All ‘round the comb?
When shall I hear the banjo strumming,
Down in my good old home.

"Stephen Collins Foster, one of America's best-loved songwriters, wrote "Swanee River" (also called "Old Folks at Home") in 1851. The Suwannee River (which Foster spelled Swanee to better fit the music) is a beautiful waterway that flows from the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia across Florida to the Gulf of Mexico. Swanee River was chosen as the State Song in 1935, and has become a symbol of love for home and family."
The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida, page 6

Lesson:

1. Read the selection about Florida's State Song (page 6)
2. Download Florida's state song, Swanee River, and listen to it with your students.
3. Sheet music and song also available here.

Additional online Resources:
Did you know that the composer of Florida's state song never visited the state of Florida? Visit MyFlorida.com for more interesting facts about Florida state's song.

State Flag

"Florida's state flag was adopted at the same time as the seal, in 1868, and it showed the seal on a white background. In 1889, the legistlature added the diagonal red bars we see today, because people wanted the flag to have more color and so that it would not look all white when it hung limply."
The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida, page 3

Lesson:

1. Read Chapter 1: page 3 about the Florida State Seal and Flag.
2. Discuss the symbols within the state seal.

Activities:
Print out the State Flag coloring page for your notebook.

State Shell: Horse Conch

Photo: Seashells.org

"The horse conch (pronounced "conk") has been Florida's State Shell since 1969..The Horse Conch, a very large snail, is found in the shallow ocean waters around Florida and its shell is a beautiful pinkish-orange color."
The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida, page 4-5

Lesson:
Read the selection about the Horse Conch (pages 4-5)
Show students an example of a Horse Conch

Additional Online Resources:
Did you know the designation of the Horse Conch as Florida's state shell was the direct result of the efforts of members of the Palm Beach County Shell Club, their friends, and State Representative William G. James of Delray Beach? Learn more about the Official State Shell here.